Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and triumph, they can become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on this scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatred. Our posturing, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in this universe are challenged by this point of pale light.

As the ancient myth makers knew, we're children equally of the earth and the sky. In our tenor on this planet, we've accumulated dangerous evolutionary baggage - propensities for aggressions and ritual, submissions to leaders, hostility to outsiders - all of which puts our survival in some doubt. But we've also acquired compassion for others, love for our children, a desire to learn from history and experience, and a great, soaring, passionate intelligence - the clear tools for our continued survival and prosperity.

Which aspects of our nature will prevail is uncertain, particularly when our visions and prospects are bound to one small part of this small planet earth. But up there in the cosmos, an inescapable perspective awaits. National boundaries are not evident when we view the earth from space. Fanatic ethnic or religious or national identifications are little difficult to support when we see our planet as a fragile blue crescent fading to become an inconspicuous point of light against the vast citadel of the stars.

yeah i understand, your job's great. its now easier for me to find best films . like you, Mr. Vlatko, im very much interested in documentaries. thanks for putting up this site! at 22, i hope i can also make my own documentary someday. Red - Manila

jules

thanks vlatko for embedding this documentary it was very educating. our planet (home), though important, seem quite insignificant in the mist of the cosmos

Cut-The-BS

At 29 minutes into the film, Sagan talks about Apollo and the moon landings. No one can tell me that Carl Sagan didn't know Apollo was a hoax... yet he talks about the moon landings as if they actually happened. Toward the end of the film, Sagan says we are able to visit other worlds but not remain... wrong again. Our space adventures have never made it past low earth orbit, not even in 1969. Radiation is so lethal inside the Van Allen belt, it is hard to imagine a time when visiting an other world will ever be possible. You would need a spacecraft with a lead hull of several feet in thickness. Compare that to the thin aluminum hulls used in all known spacecraft. Of course, one would expect a NASA man like Sagan to support the NASA fascist line of BS but it's still unforgivable BS, just the same. Carl Sagan did not inform, he disinformed.

Max

Hi Cut-The-BS,
I agree. Its possible that Apollo was part of a military programme. A prof of concept to put a bomb platform on the moon.

But I think that Sagan was looking as an optimist to the future of space travel. At some point we will probably overcome the engineering problems of deep space.

Rip

When we go back to the moon and find evidence of the moon landing in 69, and the garbage they left behind, I imagine the 'hoax' believers will have an excuse for that too. Whatever.

Nyax

There are so many people that believe the moon landing was a hoax, but they never come up with a reasonable answer as to why someone would go to such length to fake a moon landing. If one cannot imagine humans overcoming the challenges of space travel, then I feel sorry for him. The Earth is bombarded by deadly radiation everyday, but it's magnetic field protects it, that would be a very effective way of shielding spacecraft against such radiations. Once we deal with pathological ignorance and greedy leaders on Earth, then maybe we will be able to turn our interests to the stars.

Juamnji

To Nyax

While I agree the moon landing happened there is one very simple reason as to why they would hoax it.
To get one up on their only rival on earth the Soviet Union.
It may not have happened when they said it did but I like to believe we got there.

Max

I don't doubt we went to to moon.

The question of 'did astronauts land' is not important to me, in that its a matter of engineering and not one of 'its not possible'.

The largest H-bomb at the time was the 100mt Tzar bomb developed by the USSR, which weighed 12,000Kg. Its quite possible that the US had something similar in its arsenal. The delivery platform for such a heavy bomb was, at the time, the bomber which had been made obsolete by anti aircraft missiles. The Mercury and Gemini rockets were not powerful enough to put a 12000kg bomb in to a stable orbit, but Apollos Saturn V rockets were.

Apollo was one way to develop a system outside of the military budget, that could in theory, put an H-bomb platform on the moon. Or deliver one to orbit.

The cost of Apollo program was $25.4 billion ($145 billion in 2008 dollars). In the same period total US military spending was $2.6 trillion (15.4 trillion in 2008 dollars).

Achems Razor

I for one believe the Moon Landings were genuine. And they happened when they say they did. No doubt every big Telescope and Tracking System in the World, was aimed at Apollo 11 at that time!

If the Moon Landing was faked, do not think for a moment the Russians would not know! Instead of losing there Primacy, they would have been on it "Post Haste"

Max

Hi Razor,

Moon geology and national prestige, seem to have been of little value, given the condition of east west relations at the time.

The space race, taken in the context of the cold war. Would have made no sense, without the possibility of military applications.

There were 22 Saturn 1B/V launches between 1966 and 1975, 7 of which were unmanned.

Achems Razor

Hi, Max.

Yes and to strike fear. For the Russians only understood force.

That's why Reagan made sure U.S. had more bombs etc: And implemented the star wars program.

Eric Howe

To the Moon Hoaxers: Stop hating humanity so much, we're not as worthless, stupid, and weak as you want us to be. We can and have left the planet.

M. De Lastres

Cut-The-BS needs to cut the BS. I’m so sick of these moon landing conspiracy buffs. All they do is regurgitate the same ideas they hear from other higher level quack and they believe because it intuitively makes sense that it must be true. But I have never heard a theory from anyone that carried proper scientific credential or at least understood the methods of science. This argument about the Van Allen belt is rubbish. But I agree the argument is very elegant, however it has no scientific merit. I would love to know if Cut-The-BS even understands what the Van Allen belt really is and what the forces is that cause it. My point is that saying statements like that make these people look uneducated because their reasoning has no evidence.

Achems Razor

I agree with, M. De Lastres.

There are 6 Apollo missions and Moon Landings, with total of 12 men that walked on the Moon. Over 420,000 workers took part in the moon explorations.
Of those, 90,000 Scientists and Engineers formulated the space plans and missions.

And then Moon conspiracy buffs say nobody went to, and walked on the Moon!

Mr. Razor: I have a question for you. Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't the moon just stay with one surface facing the earth? It rotates around the earth, I know, but itself doesn't spin, does it? If such is the case, and we landed on the sunny side of the moon, then couldn't we just turn our telescopes here on earth and look at the moon (or even the Hubble Telescope) and see the footprints there and the trash we left? Surely the flag is also big enough to be seen! If we can see clear into outer space even from earth, couldn't we end the "moon hoax" argument with a few nice pictures of the prints? I hear that they will remain for a long long time as there is no "wind" there.

Seems simple enough to me.

The documentary: Creepy music in the background was perfect with Carl Sagan's "Twilight Zone" voice, especially with all the cavemen!

Achems Razor

Charles B.

It is a question of resolution. Hubble see's distance, and large objects like stars, galaxies, etc: Not little objects, and close like the moon. Even a football stadium on the Moon, would look like a dot to Hubble.

There has been independent verification and authentication, from dozens of countries, (even some which were and still are enemies of USA)

See my inclusion of a website on "Apollo Zero" here on TDF for more insight.

:D

P.S. Yes, one surface or the Moon always stays toward the Earth.

Wayne

Once again Carl Sagan tries to encourage people to look at the big picture and our place in it. To look at our own foolishness and our narrow perspective and to re-evaluate our lives and ideas.

heythere

Hey there!
There's a very interesting documentary with quite convincing (unseen?) footage (near the end of the docu) that proves that moon "landing" was faked or they wouldn't have tried to fake being half way to the moon. The documentary is called A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Moon and I don't think it's on TDF yet. It's on YouTube btw.

cheers

WTC7

Hi heythere,

The doc you are referring to is on TDF under the Conspiracy section.

Greetings

Ddub

very trippy, love Carl Sagan, I hope humanity makes it off this rock in time.

G

Wow, I didn't know there were so many out there who still ACTUALLY believe the moon landings were hoaxed. Too funny. Do a little more research!

Unrelated.... what YEAR did this documentary come out? I even scrolled to the end - the uploader edited it out. As commented on other docs, seriously PUT THE YEAR IN THE TITLE, i.e., "Documentary Name (1991)" Some of these docs are antiquated.

lallu

Any thing narrated by the late Carl Sagan is always a pleasure to listen to. Thank you.

Kumar Sanghvi

Such a marvelous piece of documentary accompanied with wonderful narration from late Carl Sagan.... truly awesome documentary !!

Hilliard

@Vlatko Hello friend This is great. Also i suggest you look up the 3 part BBC series "the genius of Charles Darwin" by Richard Dawkins. They are his most recent release.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/about/ Vlatko

Hi @Hilliard. That doc is in the queue. It will come up soon on TDF. Thanks.

Jack Green

There's something so depressing about Carl Sagan. The funeral music doesn't help.

K.T

I cried when he said his grandfather was a "beast of burden". This man was really a jewel among humanity. He and Feynman are my heroes. :)

Superpescado

His "mote of dust" speech always makes me cry

Carl Hendershot

Fantastic.

Soeren

When looking at the scene, with a view on earth from mars, i cant help to think that its pretty bright compared to our view on mars from the earth. so does that mean because of all the water and life on earth, we reflect more light from the sun, than the other dead planets with bare rugged surfaces. if so bright small planets = greater probably of life?

Kurrrt

The only way to control a primitive race is to introduce a god to them, and it's all over with from there on. Only the ones at the top will prevail that wrath.
After applying well learned understandable egotistical value, and a focus on evolving humanity. What would you kill someone for or steal if there was no god or no money?
Dark forces work only for themselves with no reguard for any human being. Look again at those in control way above you and see if they have any belief in any god, look deep within the guidlines they inflict upon you, do they really believe in a god? Nope.

bs-is-BS

@Cut-The-BS
You must either be a troll, or the most pathetically ignorant fool ever to post such a spiteful comment about Carl Sagan.
Go troll somewhere else, top-docs has been a pretty clean site thus far, we don't need scum like you polluting the place.

MJ

What I find most funny about the 'motivation' argument for the hoax, that the USA wanted to beat Russia in the space race is that those videos weren't recorded for 'proof' that anyone landed, but rather, they were recorded simply so we could get a view of the moon's surface with people on it. There are other ways, I suspect, during the actual landings and excursions, that could have stood to 'prove' they were up there, such as comm signals and such. If you look at the engineering, I think you would find that the plans for landing on the moon would be perfect to a T, mathematically speaking. Thus, I doubt they'd fail to through with it.

the Internet is getting infested by a new kind of bug, troll its the name, and currently there is no defense against it. The only suggested antidote is to get away from the Internet, it is said that this new kind of infection will drag you to his own territory only to defeat you where is more strong. stupidity will always win when plays in its own ground.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jack-Seahorse/1128860659 Jack Seahorse

beautiful..

ozzybility

every single human being living on earth must see this video!!

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_P7TUL4HTRW3NAEPUJ3BNYTR5AQ derek

CARL SAGAN!! ...what else can we say about this documentary??

http://twitter.com/sober2long DeAndre Miiler

Why so harsh? One should respect freedom and safeguard it for everyone... This isn't your club house, so why are you trying to rid top docs of so called scum that is polluting this place. Look at how many times you insulted Cut-The-BS and for what? Speaking his mind, that is all he did. Your going to cut someone down for speaking what they truly believe??? But haters are going to hate so deal with it. One shouldn't be so hypocritical.

Peace
Maybe someday humanity can learn to be suffice with itself

terryrret

I could watch or listen to Carl Sagan 24/7 . I feel sorry for the people who can't enjoy CS . I can't get enough of him .

Sabin Russell

i love when this question is asked
''what year did this film come out''
we are given the title to the documentary
finding the release date is easier than creating a diqus profile
which they have done in order to make a comment

Nwttp

The music at the beginning creeps me out.

naturetracker

A point of light in space an understanding of ourselves as a human race and our place in the infinite cosmos. Timeless works by Carl Sagan A+A+A+...

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1613995208 Michael Haze

i have seen the flag and the equipment with my own eyes through a high powered space telescope, they were there... it pisses me off to accept that cuz i am russian

brittish accent? carl was born in brooklyn, lol, anyway, inspires me to read the book, or watch cosmos again

dks2012

"the earth is a very small stage, in a vast cosmic arena, think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors, so that in glory and triumph, they can become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot" long live carl sagan!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Clinton-Smith/715695222 Clinton Smith

i thought it a jamican accent we hear what we like :)

http://profile.yahoo.com/QFK7LHGF2PJQQ66D5FIKKULHGE frank s

next time you have a problem.. take a look at the nights sky and think just how insignificant it really is..

http://www.facebook.com/people/Clinton-Smith/715695222 Clinton Smith

The way he speaks is like educational poetry very well presented doc.

thank you Carl

http://www.facebook.com/dmahat Dpk Mht

Hope you are not stupid now as you were a year back while writing this comment.. I reckon you were the god of stupendous act.. around a year back.. who deserved to be quietly executed for safeguard of rest of us.. :P

http://profile.yahoo.com/MAFVOVQXUCS47OVBPIPOXT455U Daniel

where are the pictures?

http://profile.yahoo.com/U6QWIMU37O6LUVLOCTDL7ICV3Y Dean

Its nice to watch a doc that grounds and reminds me. Mr Sagan was/is truly an inspired human being. My hats off to all those who were involved in this doc.

Sagan may sound like Kermit the Frog. But, that froggy spoke Epic and was Epic. R.I.P. Carl

Xbow

I agree 100% with you M. De Lastres

I read one particularly cluless hoaxer comment that made the absurd charge that Carl Sagan knew project Apollo was a Hoax but was paid off to support the sham. Hilarious!

Obviously the dim bulb clown in question knew nothing about Carl Sagan or his prime characteristics of intellectual honesty, reason and knowledge. Sagan would probably be the first guy to call foul if he thought Apollo was a hoax.

That Hoaxers believe the contrived rants of a few obscure bone heads rather than the truth as told by scores of astronauts and pilots, thousands of distinguished scientists & engineers and the hundreds of thousands of tradesmen and technicians that worked the project illuminates the mental inferiority of the members of the Hoax-Cult. As susceptible as they are to fantasy I would hate have to have any one of the on a Jury to decide the fate of a defendant.

When I was ten I watched the Apollo 17 mission lift off at just past midnight on December 7, 1972. We were miles away on a beach. Even from that far away the SaturnV looked like a skyscraper illuminated by floodlights. Its a memory that will never fade especially my memory of the sound.when it finally rolled over us...unforgettable.

If Apollo was a hoax that was one expensive and spectacular way to do it.

Note: Isn't it amazing that many of these same idiotic hoaxers also believe that the Nazis had perfected anti-gravity propulsion and flying saucers in WW-2? And that the Nazis built a city under the ice in Antarctica and built secret bases on the Moon and Mars as well.